2023-2024 Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona, California)

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2023-2024 Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona, California) Secondary Essay Prompts: (500 word limit each)

1. What experience observing a DO solidified your desire/ambition to become an osteopathic physician? (This could be a formal shadowing experience (one-on-one with a physician), scribing, observing your own physician, friend, or family member who is a DO).

2. If you have not had the opportunity to shadow/observe a DO why is it important to you to become an osteopathic physician?

3. What was your most memorable community service activity and how did your activity benefit the community?

4. How does the COMP Mission statement align with your values?

5. Why do you want to attend COMP?

6. What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you and why are they important?

7. Have you participated in research? (y/n)
If yes, briefly describe your role and what skills you gained from participation in the research.
Please provide us with the link to the publication or abstract if possible.
Did you contribute to the published work as an author/coauthor? (y/n)

8. Briefly discuss any extenuating circumstances which you feel are pertinent to your application (poor grades, course withdrawals, lapse in your education, etc.).

9. If you have not taken any coursework for over 3 years, please explain why and what you have been doing during that period of time.

10. Are you a transfer applicant? (y/n)


Good luck to everyone applying!

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Confused with the AACOMAS application. It says to list only 2 semester courses or 3 quarter courses to fulfill the prereqs, but all of my prereqs have 5+ courses. Do I just choose randomly?
 
Confused with the AACOMAS application. It says to list only 2 semester courses or 3 quarter courses to fulfill the prereqs, but all of my prereqs have 5+ courses. Do I just choose randomly?
Yeah that’s what I did. I think as long as u meet the minimum they don’t care
 
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Received an email yesterday acknowledging submission of application.
 
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Received secondaries (from both campuses) today. Submitted May 29th
 
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They didn’t list any screenings on their webpage or choose DO explorer. However I did see some lower stats applicants get secondaries in the previous cycle.
 
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Secondaries from COMP (very similar to COMP-NW) Edit: all of the responses are 500 words

What experience observing a DO solidified your desire/ambition to become an osteopathic physician? (This could be a formal shadowing experience (one-on-one with a physician), scribing, observing your own physician, friend, or family member who is a DO).

If you have not had the opportunity to shadow/observe a DO why is it important to you to become an osteopathic physician?

What was your most memorable community service activity and how did your activity benefit the community?

How does the COMP Mission statement align with your values?

Why do you want to attend COMP?

What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you and why are they important?

Have you participated in research? (y/n)

If yes, briefly describe your role and what skills you gained from participation in the research.

Please provide us with the link to the publication or abstract if possible.

Did you contribute to the published work as an author/coauthor? (y/n)

Briefly discuss any extenuating circumstances which you feel are pertinent to your application (poor grades, course withdrawals, lapse in your education, etc.).

If you have not taken any coursework for over 3 years, please explain why and what you have been doing during that period of time.

Are you a transfer applicant? (y/n)
 
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I submitted my primary in late May. If I haven’t received a secondary from here and Lebanon as of yet, does this mean I’m out of the running?
 
I submitted my primary in late May. If I haven’t received a secondary from here and Lebanon as of yet, does this mean I’m out of the running?
Same, I haven't recieved one either, and I submitted early/mid may. this is how i'm taking it..
 
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I submitted my primary in late May. If I haven’t received a secondary from here and Lebanon as of yet, does this mean I’m out of the running?
last application cycle, I submitted end of may and did not receive my secondary until late September, either way this school seems to screen alot more than other schools
 
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last application cycle, I submitted end of may and did not receive my secondary until late September, either way this school seems to screen alot more than other schools
Man…that is definitely late.
 
Is everyone writing 500 words for each response? It just seems a like a lot (~3,500-4,000 characters) especially for the prompts where they ask you to "briefly" describe things.
 
Is everyone writing 500 words for each response? It just seems a like a lot (~3,500-4,000 characters) especially for the prompts where they ask you to "briefly" describe things.
I wrote for most of my essays 300-450. Honestly, I think around 350 is the sweet spot. But only have the number of words that your point comes across and that you answer the question!
 
I wrote for most of my essays 300-450. Honestly, I think around 350 is the sweet spot. But only have the number of words that your point comes across and that you answer the question!
Thank you!!
 
For listing the physician shadowing section, it is asking for the physician's email but I don't have that? Do you think I can just leave it as N/A
 
For listing the physician shadowing section, it is asking for the physician's email but I don't have that? Do you think I can just leave it as N/A
No, I would instead put beeswax, nunya! Lol I would google the physician and see if there is a listed email and if not then put N/A
 
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stuck on the payment page which is down for maintenance, anyone else have this issue? i don't wanna lose everything I hopefully saved on there but idk when the site will be back up
 
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Do they review our application before we submit our Casper scores? That is the only thing missing on my checklist, need to know how soon I should take Casper. Thank you!
 
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Do they review our application before we submit our Casper scores? That is the only thing missing on my checklist, need to know how soon I should take Casper. Thank you!
I believe that you need you Casper scores for your application to be considered complete.
 
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Anyone receive a secondary invite today? Never thought I'd be getting one on the weekend too lol. Submitted primary two days ago on 07/06/23 never thought they'd be so quick
 
For this prompt, "Briefly discuss any extenuating circumstances which you feel are pertinent to your application (poor grades, course withdrawals, lapse in your education, etc.)." Should I discuss my first MCAT score? Because I improved ten points on my retake so i don't know
 
Have y'all been putting the same essays for each of the schools?
I was wondering the same thing. Some of the essay prompts are identical. It seems like the only different prompt for Northwest is Why Lebanon Oregon. I already submitted my secondary to COMP CA and was going to submit one to the Northwest Campus when I was re-reading the certification that said, "I understand that all materials submitted by applicants become the property of Western University of Health Sciences. The information gathered is used solely for assessing applicant qualifications and is neither shared nor transmitted outside of Western University of Health Sciences."
 
Have y'all been putting the same essays for each of the schools?
I was wondering the same thing. Some of the essay prompts are identical. It seems like the only different prompt for Northwest is Why Lebanon Oregon. I already submitted my secondary to COMP CA and was going to submit one to the Northwest Campus when I was re-reading the certification that said, "I understand that all materials submitted by applicants become the property of Western University of Health Sciences. The information gathered is used solely for assessing applicant qualifications and is neither shared nor transmitted outside of Western University of Health Sciences."
COMP and COMP-NW have separate admissions committees. Personally, I submitted the same essays for generic questions like why DO, exposure to DO, community service and etc. but for questions like why COMP or why COMP-NW, ofc I had different essays. I got IIs from both campuses.
 
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COMP and COMP-NW have separate admissions committees. Personally, I submitted the same essays for generic questions like why DO, exposure to DO, community service and etc. but for questions like why COMP or why COMP-NW, ofc I had different essays. I got IIs from both campuses.
For this cycle?
 
Does Pomona screen for secondaries or does everyone get them?
 
COMP and COMP-NW have separate admissions committees. Personally, I submitted the same essays for generic questions like why DO, exposure to DO, community service and etc. but for questions like why COMP or why COMP-NW, ofc I had different essays. I got IIs from both campuses.
Did you submit the same essay for how the Mission statement aligns with your values? It is my understanding that they have the same mission statement.
 
I forgot to add my Casper reservation for Western until a few days after I got my score back. How long should it take to update the portal?
 
I forgot to add my Casper reservation for Western until a few days after I got my score back. How long should it take to update the portal?
pretty much instantly
 
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anyone else not received a secondary yet? I submitted to this school like 4 weeks ago and got verified early..
 
Just going to leave this on all the schools I applied to, I did receive secondaries from every DO school:

Submitted all 16 DO Schools on 5/28/23... Verified 5/31/23

States: 3.73 Science, 3.77 Overall, 501 (125/122/127/127) and 508 (125/125/127/131)

For this school, secondary received: 6/8/23
 
My Casper is scheduled for next week. Should I submit my secondary before the CASPER score comes back or should i just submit what I have? I know these scores take a while to come back...
 
My Casper is scheduled for next week. Should I submit my secondary before the CASPER score comes back or should i just submit what I have? I know these scores take a while to come back...
Submit your secondary before
 
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submitted my secondary on 7/11, but on the application status, it still says awaiting letters of recommendation even though they were all submitted through AACOMAS, should I be concerned?
 
submitted my secondary on 7/11, but on the application status, it still says awaiting letters of recommendation even though they were all submitted through AACOMAS, should I be concerned?

I emailed them last week they said it means it’s not reviewed yet, give them time to process
 
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